Song Wanxi quickly moved her phone away, not wanting to listen to her mother’s scolding any longer.
She had heard these words no fewer than a thousand times.
Whenever they couldn’t get money from her, they would drag up these old stories and use them to morally blackmail her.
She was born in a very poor mountain village. Her parents were both illiterate, and a few acres of farmland were the family’s only source of income.
Her parents were extremely partial to sons over daughters.
They had given birth to at least ten daughters, keeping only the eldest and selling off all the others.
She and her brother were fraternal twins, the youngest of the family, with more than a decade separating them from their eldest sister.
Because the family was poor, her eldest sister had also married poorly and rarely came home. When she was six years old, her parents planned to give her away in exchange for money. It was her brother who held onto her tightly, refusing to let anyone take her away.
Her brother was an average student.
But she was naturally intelligent and excelled academically.
In middle school, her brother dropped out of school and left home specifically to work in the city to support her education.
Her parents strongly opposed her continuing her studies, but her brother steadfastly defended her, working hard to earn money to pay for her schooling.
Her brother’s most frequent words were, “Little sister, you must study hard, make something of yourself, and get out of these mountains. No matter how hard it gets, I’ll support you through college.”
Her brother doted on her endlessly.
In recent years, she had earned some money. She gave her brother money to buy a house and get married, and also invested in a fruit shop for him, but business was never quite satisfactory.
Her parents felt that if she hadn’t existed, her brother would have had a bright future.
It was she who had caused her brother to miss out on education, preventing him from becoming wealthy and successful, and preventing their parents from living a good life.
On the other end of the phone, the scolding had probably finished.
Song Wanxi slowly pressed the phone to her ear and said, “Mom, I still have a few hundred yuan. I’ll transfer it to your WeChat first. Once the payment for the goods comes in next month, I’ll send you more for household expenses.”
“I really don’t know what kind of man you married. He seems rich, but he doesn’t help your family at all. Giving money for household expenses is like squeezing toothpaste out of a tube,” her mother’s sharp and mean-spirited scolding grew more intense, her momentum instantly rising again. “If he’s so unwilling to help your family, just divorce him and find someone new. You’re young and pretty, and you’ve had so much education. Finding another rich man would be easy, and you could get us a bigger bride price too.”
Song Wanxi couldn’t listen anymore and hung up directly.
Her grief surged like a tide, impossible to calm. She transferred the few hundred yuan left in her phone to her mother.
If she divorced, her parents would eagerly use her to find another man in exchange for a bride price.
At the thought, she couldn’t help but smile bitterly. She tossed aside her phone, facing a dilemma with no way forward and no way back.
Early morning, no sunlight, the sky a dull and oppressive gray—a sign of the spring rain to come.
The north wind was hot and dry, rustling the window curtains.
Song Wanxi sat quietly at the dining table, waiting.
The clock on the wall showed 9:45.
The door clicked, and You Jin walked out of the bedroom.
He headed toward the kitchen, but when he saw Song Wanxi, he paused mid-step, froze for two seconds, then turned to glance at the clock.
His gaze darkened slightly as he continued into the kitchen and came out with a glass of ice water.
It was different from usual.
There was no breakfast on the table for him.
He walked over and sat down across from Song Wanxi, gazing at her. Taking a slow, unhurried sip of ice water, he said in a flat tone, “Waiting for me?”
Song Wanxi looked up at him.
No matter how many years passed, she could always be captivated by this man’s handsome appearance.
Those deep, dark phoenix eyes looked affectionate even when gazing at a dog, and they always made her feel illusions.
A simple white long-sleeved shirt paired with black trousers highlighted his calm, refined, and noble temperament—an elegance that was innate.
Song Wanxi had thought all night. In the two years since their marriage, even though he had many rumors outside and no marital intimacy at home, she loved this man too much. She had endured it all, wanting nothing more than to live a good life with him.
First, because she was very busy and had no time to worry about matters of the heart.
Second, because she was not a competitive person. She held traditional values, was reserved and restrained, and hoped to have only one marriage in her life—to remain faithful to it till the end.
Now, she felt it was necessary to sit down and have a proper talk.
“You Jin, why do we have to live our lives like this?” Song Wanxi said with utmost seriousness.
You Jin sat still, his gaze turning dark as he stared straight at Song Wanxi without the slightest reaction.
This was the first time she had so seriously and solemnly discussed their marital problems with You Jin.
You Jin’s silence made Song Wanxi’s heart flutter with unease.
Her hands, hidden under the table, clenched involuntarily. “Our marriage has been broken for a long time. Don’t you—”
“My brother’s suggestion tempted you?” You Jin interrupted coldly, leaning back in his chair.